NoCo Places
A Common Voice for Public Lands
Est. 2018 · Northern Colorado
NoCo Places
A Common Voice for Public Lands
Est. 2018 · Northern Colorado
NoCo Places hosts training workshops each year designed for the staff of participating NoCo agencies to learn and share ideas around meaningful engagement in making the outdoors accessible for all.
The three workshops held in 2025 were facilitated by Keystone Policy Center, were held in Larimer, Boulder, and Jefferson Counties.
Each session ends with breakout groups discussing action planning for NoCo Places.
Held in Fort Collins at the Larimer County admin building, the workshop began with presentations from the Center for Tribal and Indigenous Engagement at Keystone Policy Center, and Mending Mountains Collective LLC.
This workshop was comprised of a brief history of tribal nations and indigenous communities in Northern Colorado; a deep dive on Colorado’s guidance framework for tribal collaboration.
2. Outdoor Accessibility for AllThis training took place at Pella Crossing Park in Longmont to provide for a hands-on trail experience. The presentations covered an orientation to accessible recreation including an overview of best terminology and etiquette; working through scenarios in small groups; and roundtable sharing of ongoing accessibility work in the region. Participants heard from representatives of Omni Accessible, Every Body Outside Consulting, The Traveling Gnomes, Camp Always Choose Adventures, and Blindfulness.
The group took advantage of the outdoor location to engage in experiential learning. Each facilitator led small groups on the trail and enabled participants to use a wheelchair on a crusher fine trail, use vision impairment simulation glasses and a cane, or walk with an oxygen backpack.
3. Inclusive PartnershipsThis workshop focused on establishing a shared understanding of key terms; recognizing the historical barriers and challenges that shape current inequities in access to public lands; strengthening cultural competency for effective engagement with underrepresented communities; developing thoughtful, reciprocal partnerships; and supporting staff doing this work and raising all boats across agencies at different stages in their journey. Parker McMullen Bushman, CEO of Ecoinclusive Strategies and founder of the Summit for Action, facilitated this
workshop.
In the fall of 2024, the USDA Forest Service’s Boulder Ranger District hosted a series of stakeholder meetings regarding the Lefthand Canyon area near Boulder. Specifically, the meetings addressed how best to reopen the area to motorized recreation post-2013 flooding.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant supported this series of meetings, and Keystone Policy Center was hired to facilitate. NoCo Places participated in the meetings, bringing a regional perspective on recreation and conservation to the process. The stakeholder group made significant progress in supporting the Forest Service’s planning process.
However, the grant funding supporting the Keystone contract and the stakeholder effort has come to an end. To maintain the momentum of the stakeholder group and support their solution-finding efforts, NoCo Places is providing facilitation support. Our involvement is designed to maintain engagement, continuity, and productive dialogue, enabling the group to continue its work in partnership with the Forest Service and regional partners to address motorized recreation and broader conservation concerns.
For additional context and background, Keystone Policy Center developed a report on the first series of Lefthand Canyon area stakeholder dialogues.
Certified Non-profit Organization
Your donation supports multi-jurisdictional coordination on Colorado’s public lands.
The NoCo Places region covers five counties in Northern Colorado.
Placeholder